I received some good books for my birthday–I mean does my family know me or what?
I got some other nice things as well, including archival boxes to aid me in my quest to be organized. However, the twins quickly became bored with my presents as I opened my pile of goodies and returned to playing with Mr. Smith. But I will have no excuse for being bored for some time.
Just a reminder that yesterday was the 62nd Anniversary of the release of The Man Who Shot LibertyValance (1962).
In its review, The New York Times heralded Duke as a paragon of the Western genre, writing, “Mr. Wayne again proves, if it is necessary at this late date, that he can sit a horse well, shoot from the hip and throw a haymaker with the best of them.” Well, he could do a lot more than that and he did in this great film, which is a lot more than your everyday, run-of-the-mill western. But you know that. Anyway, if you are looking for something good to watch, I suggest Liberty Valance.
Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.
So for weeks flyover country has been quite sidetracked with all the eclipse hype. People traveled from all over the country to places like Farmington and Cape Girardeau just to get a view.
If you waited til Monday to head to the direct path, you were out of luck, because I-55 was a parking lot basically. I sat on my patio, content to experience the 99% view. The OM had bought a large supply of the special glasses (why buy one, when you can buy dozens?) so I was prepared.
The bumble bees were intense, but I hung in there.
The birds seemed very confused–is that an eclipse thing? As John Quincy Adams noted after the June 1806 eclipse: “The cattle, and poultry discovered the symptoms of Night, and followed their usual habits on its approach—the swallows appeared surprised and flew with that wild irregularity, which is described as betokening the approach of an Earthquake.” Yes, it was like that.
We had fun texting on the family thread…
…but it wasn’t terribly exciting. It seemed like dusk and it made me think of Happy Hour, but it was only 2 o’clock, so I restrained myself and went back to work.
“The sun will be turned into darkness And the moon into blood Before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes.”
In my daily Bible reading I have been sojourning in the book of Joshua. I am always impressed with Joshua. He is a real role-model, a mighty man of Israel: steadfast, obedient and brave. Funnily enough, over at desiringGod.com someone was thinking the same thing and wrote this about the humble young leader.
Yes, Joshua learned to trust God’s word, and it guided his life. We all have a lot to learn from him. “Today we know that the LORD is in our midst, because you have not committed this breach of faith against the LORD. Now you have delivered the people of Israel from the hand of the LORD.” (Joshua 22:31)
Speaking of humble young men, I was pleased to see that Scottie Scheffler won the Players Championship, the first professional golfer ever to repeat, a back-to-back winner!
Today we remember Thomas Ken (July 1637 – 19 March 1711), English Anglican cleric, who died on this day in 1711. He wrote many hymns and was one of the seven non-juring bishops when James II reissued his Declaration of Indulgence. Along with his six brethren, Ken was committed to the Tower on June 8, 1688, on a charge of high misdemeanour. Ken was put on trial with the others, which resulted in a verdict of acquittal. He is commemorated on the Episcopal Church liturgical calendar on March 21. I always think of him when we sing the doxology.
Here’s a good word from Randy Alcorn about being a Christian in today’s hostile world. “Jesus is the Audience of One. We will stand before His judgment seat, no one else’s. We should long to hear Him say, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant.’ What other people think won’t matter.”
And in nutball news…
It was cold but sunny here in flyover country yesterday. (Note the down coats.) Today should be warmer. Hopefully I’ll get some more work done on the Florida room and we can open it for business soon.
Yesterday we were enveloped in a thick fog that was straight out of an old horror film.
(The Wolf Man, 1941)
It brightened up a bit in the afternoon, but not much. There’s rain and more rain on the radar.
Meanwhile my women’s Bible Study starts up again this morning. We are reading the book of Matthew. Since I loaned my softcover NIV to daughter #1 so she would have a smaller tome to carry to her Sunday School class, I had to find something to use for my Bible Study. My ESV Reformation Study Bible is too big to carry around and my chronological Bible is not suitable. So I went searching in my house…I found the RSV Bible that was given to me in 4th grade, which is cheap and kind of falling apart. Check out the inscription:
They used my nickname and spelled it incorrectly! Also, my last name is misspelled! Good grief. I remember at the time, even in the 4th grade, being really chagrined.
I found my mother’s American Standard Version presented to her when she was, like me, 9 years old:
I am not surprised that she received hers in recognition of “excellent work”. I’m sure she took it all very seriously, unlike me, who along with my schoolmates were giggling pains in the neck. I think we actually made our 5th grade Sunday School teacher cry. Mrs. Brinkmeier. I cringe to think of my elementary school depravity.
I found multiple copies of the Book of Common Prayer and a few more Bibles, including this ancient one inscribed to an ancestor, Emmeline Cornwall:
Emmeline too was singled out for her “punctual attendance, good behaviour and attention to her studies at the Sunday School.”
Emmeline’s Bible also includes helpful marginal notes…
“The king’s scribes were summoned at that time, in the third month, which is the month of Sivan, on the twenty-third day. And an edict was written, according to all that Mordecai commanded concerning the Jews, to the satraps and the governors and the officials of the provinces from India to Ethiopia, 127 provinces, to each province in its own script and to each people in its own language, and also to the Jews in their script and their language” (Esther 8:9, ESV).
…and a hand stitched bookmark:
We have not forgotten you, Emmeline.
I found my father’s Oxford University Press KJV, which his Mother had given him, hoping for the best.
Finally I unearthed the study Bible I had used in my small group back in the 1990s, borrowed from and, I confess, never returned to my old church. Maybe I will use it, although it may raise some PCA eyebrows .
Well, remember, a Bible is of no use unless you open it.
So open it already!
You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.
How was your weekend? Ours was dark and gloomy and rainy, but full of festive seasonal fun nevertheless.
We went to the Christmas concert Friday night–a packed house of Presbyterians, plus a few random Episcopalians I recognized and even a few Jewish Messiah lovers. I enjoyed it very much, but didn’t get home until 10 p.m.–way past my usual bedtime!
On Saturday I went to the funeral of an old 99-year-old friend at my old church. Shirley was quite the gal–a lifelong Episcopalian, Republican and Cardinals fan who went to spring training in Florida every year. She was also a professional woman who had enjoyed quite a long and successful career. The former rector came from Florida to speak along with the former President Pro Tem of the Missouri State Senate. He told the story of how Shirley was sad when she gave up her season tickets to the Cardinals at age 97, but that she had to admit that watching the games on her daughter’s big screen tv had its benefits–namely being able to see Nolan Arenado, “the most beautiful man ever,” up close and personal.
The service was 100% Rite I, but the interim rector kept lapsing into Rite II. C’est la vie. The lay readers were good, which would have pleased Shirley. She had been one herself for decades. I always felt so validated when she gave me a thumbs up after I read. The church was almost full–which said quite a lot about 99-year-old Shirley–but the singing was weak. Shirley, I daresay, is well out of the Episcopal Church and in heaven now.
For I know that my Redeemer lives, And He shall stand at last on the earth; And after my skin is destroyed, this I know, That in my flesh I shall see God, Whom I shall see for myself, And my eyes shall behold, and not another.
–Job 19:25-27
After Mr. Smith went to the spa for his shampoo, daughter #1 came over and helped me decorate the tree.
We also watched the 1951 A Christmas Carol–the best version in my not so humble opinion.
This scene always makes me cry: “You’ve made Fred so happy!”
The boy was in Kansas City with his family all weekend, so it was just the OM and I at church and a quiet Sunday afternoon.
Also, I did want to wish a happy birthday to my dual personality. Happy Birthday, sweet sister of mine!
I hope someone is cooking you a nice dinner and that my present arrived in time for you to open it today. I hope you watch a good movie, maybe Captain Blood (1935) or How to Steal a Million (1966). I will be toasting Fizzy Fuzz, Pompey, Pete, and Robert Preston!
Also, this meme made me LOL:
P.S. Many thanks to whoever sent the fruitcake from Texas–there was no card!
Mood. Yesterday my electricity went out shortly after I had finished doing my morning Bible reading. “Great,” I thought. “That’s just great.” Because, you know, when your electricity goes out, that means you can’t:
Get your car out of the garage;
do laundry or vacuum;
use the internet;
watch TV or listen to music;
use the dishwasher and a host of other electric appliances–
in fact, you are stuck.
I Swiffered the first floor and watered my plants. Then I started looking at some of my books in the living room (the room with the most natural light)…
and went through the drawers in the highboy.
I found something I had been looking for for some time–my husband’s family history. So that was fortuitous.
Eventually the electricity came back on in about two hours. Turns out, it was a planned outage–but no one told us about the plan. Thanks. But some good did come out of the annoying situation.
My life is like a watered garden.
The Lord will guide you continually, And satisfy your soul in drought, And strengthen your bones; You shall be like a watered garden, And like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.
In July we celebrate love 😍 with several anniversaries. Besides my dear DP’s, we remember daughter #2 and DN…
and daughter #3 and the boy.
Daughter #3 and the boy are celebrating their 11th anniversary tomorrow night by going to the St. Louis City soccer game at the new Centene Stadium downtown. The twins are coming over to our house for a first-time-ever sleepover, so keep the OM and me in your prayers. Thankfully, daughter #1 and Mr. Smith will be supporting us in this endeavor. Lottie has already warned me that “You know, I get up very early.” I told her, “Well, you know, I get up pretty early too.” I think we’ll be okay.
Yesterday the boy brought the wee laddie to hang out at my house while Lottie had a play date with her friend Sadie. He put a new battery in the Power Wheels Raptor and gave it some added umph, but not as much as he had hoped.
The bud is not doing wheelies, although he did attempt a Toyko drift…
Enjoy your Wednesday. Rejoice that the Lord’s mercies are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
We have had more storms and more storms. What started out as a very dry spring, has turned into a very wet summer. Our Florida Room has flooded several times now, but hopefully we have that figured out. Fingers crossed. It has also been a particularly windy year all around. This is beginning to be a familiar sight:
(KMOV photo of damage in Ferguson, MO)
God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, Even though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though its waters roar and be troubled, Though the mountains shake with its swelling. Selah (Psalm 46: 1-3)
Meanwhile I am working on getting everything ready to send off to the printer for the next KHS Review. Life goes on between outbursts of bad weather.
This seems really obvious to me, but clearly it is not. “Reading doesn’t begin as an activity your child does by himself. It begins with fathers and mothers. It begins with us reading aloud. We increase our kid’s appetite by narrating books that they enjoy and understand. These books are not the books you would choose to read in your alone time, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy them together.”
It is the last day of May and the Christmas Cactus is blooming again!
It is also Walt Whitman’s birthday! We will toast him and all the birthdays we have celebrated in May.
We do not all contain multitudes. Some people, I am told, do not even have/are incapable of having an inner monologue. (This is science.) I toast those who do.
In other news, in reading through the Bible, I have found several references to bears, which I found interesting. I was unaware that there even were bears in the Ancient Middle East. But I guess there were. Here is an interesting article about a difficult passage. Why did God send bears to attack a group of boys?
And here is John Piper on fighting the fears of old age, which, believe me, I am fighting. He never pulls any punches:
Your outward sufficiency is getting smaller, right? You are weakening. Your body is weakening, your eyes are weakening, your ears are weakening, your memory is weakening, and everything is wasting away. That’s what it means in this age to die. We all will die if Jesus doesn’t come, to which we say, “Come, Lord Jesus.”
But I believe the promise of 2 Corinthians 9:8 is that every good work that you are expected to do by God, you will have the resources to do it — the mental resources, the physical resources, the affectional resources, the financial resources. If you don’t have the resources to do it, he doesn’t expect you to do it.”
Well, take time to smell the flowers today, consider the cosmos, talk to the “Listener up there!” and have a snack.
I am currently reading the book of Matthew in my daily reading. Yesterday I read chapter 24, which is where Jesus tells his disciples about the coming ‘tribulation’. I was interested to see him referencing Daniel in verse 15:
“Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand), 16 “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.“
This is why it is so important to read the Old Testament, and, indeed, the whole Bible. Jesus is referring to Daniel 9:27 and 11:31. The “abomination of desolation” refers to the desecration of the temple.
Jesus goes on to say:
“Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. 18 And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. 19 But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! 20 And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. 21 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22 And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.”
Heavy stuff.
Well, I hope that isn’t too heavy for you on Wednesday. “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)
dual personalities 